Pages

Monday, August 27, 2012

Somehow I missed posting about my first rounds through the gun. I was at the range a few weeks ago for a reason other than shooting my new revolver, and only had about 35 rounds of .38 special with me. I decided I might as well function check the gun and start getting a feel for it.

I started off running the 5^5 drill on 3"x5" index cards. This has kind of turned into one of my standard drills because I need to work on pretty much all aspects of shooting at a low percentage target and this serves as a decent benchmark.

I stapled up a paper USPSA target and did a walk-back drill. I made it back to 15 yards and was right at the bottom of the head A-Zone, then stepped back to 25 and dropped two below the head box (this would foreshadow things to come).

Since I unsuccesscully shot at the head box from 25 yards I decided to put it on the timer and see how I could do shooting at the torso A-Zone. Pretty much, not so hot. After that I stepped it back to 50 yards and fired one round just to see if I could hit paper...surprisingly I did.

I obviously have a lot of work to do with this gun. I generally wouldn't have that much trouble getting the hits I want. I have a feeling there is going to be a pretty steep learning curve. I haven't been able to get back on the range with it yet, but hope to in the next couple of weeks. I have my fingers crossed.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

I have decided to run HKS speedloaders for now. Mostly because I can find them locally and I like to support local business. I know I can order Safariland speedloaders online, and I truly feel they are the better speedloader, but then I wouldn't be supporting local business.

For the time being, as a carry round I will be using Federal's 158gr +p LSWCHP. It isn't the latest and greatest tech, but there were some sitting around at the house so it is what I am using for the moment. Once I shoot them all up, I will start looking at some other options.

Once thing I have noticed, it is more difficult to reload the LSWCHP with the speedloader than it is the RNL rounds I have been using for practice.

I have also given thought to how I accomplish my reload. There are apparently a lot of different ways to skin this cat. On the front end, I was thinking that one of the techniques that allows me to keep my shooting hand on the gun at all times would be the best. Then I realized a problem. I carry my tac light in my left front pocket, this would be the same pocket the speedloader would go in since I don't plan on using a speedloader pouch for concealed carry. If I dump a speedloader in that same pocket it gets crowded pretty fast. On top of that when I stick my hand in the pocket to get the light, or the speedloader, I have to try and figure out which is which. So I decided to run the speedloader in right front pocket, which means I can't use my left hand to execute the reload. Oh well. Now I am just trying to decide if I want to use my left thumb to activate the ejector rod and eject the fired brass, or use the whole hand and do that step with the gun still in my shooting hand. Right now I am leaning towards using the thumb once I have transitioned the gun to the left hand, but I will to put it on the clock and run it some more to really decide.

Other than that, I feel like my technique is coming together pretty well. I just need to put some more rounds through the gun. It has been a slow couple months from a shooting perspective.

Friday, August 17, 2012

One of the great things about Kydex holsters is that once you aren't using the gun it was originally made for, with a little ingenuity you can turn it into a holster for another gun. Like a Beretta 96D holster into a Ruger SP101 holster. Who would of thought this...

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

This isn't exactly an IDPA suitable revolver, but I have always wanted one and found a good deal. The plan is to add another more IDPA friendly revolver later on. This will be a good one to work some of the same skills getting ready for it though.

Friday, August 3, 2012

On WTBGU yesterday there was an article posted about choosing a carry pistol and it split most handguns into a few different categories for comparison and then identified the ones they felt were the best. Pretty good article, and I don't disagree with a lot of their choices. It got to me thinking though, what do I consider to be an acceptable carry pistol and which ones would I recommend? The conclusion I have come to is, it depends.

This is why I say that. When coming up with the criteria that a carry pistol should meet, it was all performanced based. First thing that popped into my head is that I should be able to a hit a man sized target from 50 yards (I define "man sized" as the -1 zone on an IDPA target). Other criteria that I felt was worthwhile was hit an 8" circle from 25 yards in under 3 seconds, pass the 5^5 test using 3"x5" index cards as the target, hit a 3"x5" index card from 10 yards, and pass Dot Torture from 3 yards. All that, on demand. Meaning cold, with no warm up, every time. Writing out those criteria I realized that it is as much about the shooter as it is about the gun, and that is why it depends.

If someone can accomplish all that with a Ruger LCP, then I don't see why that wouldn't work as a carry gun. Might not be the gun I would carry, but I probably wouldn't give anyone grief over it if I knew they could pass those tests.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

One of the equipment items that I think every shooter needs is a Shot Timer. There are lot of variations on this and which route you go I don't really care, but everyone serious about shooting needs one. This is why, to measure skill. If skill cannot be measured, how do we know if it is good or bad?

Once we have the ability to measure skill, we then also have the ability to measure the improvement or decline of skill. Once we can measure either of those two, we can evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of our practice and make adjustments where needed.